The global tantalum capacitor market is entering a new round of price increases. After U.S. suppliers raised prices earlier this quarter, Panasonic has now announced a 15%–30% increase on selected tantalum capacitor series. This move reflects tightening supply conditions and growing demand across high-performance electronics.

Before Panasonic’s adjustment, Kemet (a Yageo company) had already issued a notice to customers, confirming a 20%–30% price increase for the T520, T521, and T530 series starting November 1. This marks its second price hike of the year. Kemet controls more than 40% of global tantalum capacitor capacity, making its pricing actions a strong indicator of market direction.

Industry analysts highlight two main drivers behind the latest surge:

1. Higher raw material costs — Tantalum powder prices continue to rise due to mining and refining constraints.

2. Explosive AI server demand — Cloud and data-center companies are adopting more tantalum capacitors in AI and ASIC servers, leveraging their high reliability, stability, and surge performance.

With Panasonic holding roughly 10% of global market share, its participation in the markup cycle confirms the broader tightening of global supply. Manufacturers should prepare for longer lead times, higher costs, and stronger competition for allocated inventory.

For EMS, OEMs, and sourcing teams, securing early stock, evaluating multisourcing options, and strengthening supplier partnerships will be key to managing risks during this period of rising capacitor prices.